Washer



L. A. YOUNG Oct. 10, 1939.

WASHER Filed Dec. 17, 1957 I4 INVENTOR. 6077074 /7 fad/fig 5M1 9'45 1 1 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in washers.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a washer or like machine element so formed that it is efiective for the purpose and at the same time has a relatively small amount of material embodied therein and is consequently light in weight.

Second, to provide a washer formed from wire or strip stock which is effective for the purpose "and may be very economically produced without waste of material such as is incident to forming washers from sheet material.

Third, to provide a washer having these advantages which may be very rapidly produced.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to fol- "low. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken plan view of a strip of stock or piece of wire from which one of my improved washers may be formed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating certain of the steps in forming my improved washer, one of the steps being illustrated by full lines and the succeeding step by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the completed washer of my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section through a completed washer on a line corresponding to line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form or embodiment of my washer.

Fig. 7 is a View illustrating steps of another method of forming the washer of Figs. 3 and 5, one of the steps being illustrated by full lines and a succeeding step by dotted lines.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a third form or embodiment of my invention.

My present invention relates to washer and like machine elements and the production thereof and the main objects, as stated above, are to produce such articles in a most economical manner with the weight reduced to a minimum and wastage during manufacture eliminated.

The washers of my invention are formed from a single length of wire or like strip stock bent and conformed to produce a central bolt opening or eye in a concentric outer body portion or portions.

Referring to the drawing, I represents a piece of wire or strip stock of suitable gauge or diameter to form the washer desired. As illustrated in Fig. 2, this strip of stock is first bent into a loop with the arm 2 thereof substantially longer than the arm 3. 5

The arm 2 terminates in an offset 4, the purpose of which will appear as the description proceeds. This piece of loop stock is then formed around a mandrel indicated at 5 by suitable means as is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 by which the partially completed forming is illustrated into the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the oiTset end 4 is brought into overlapping relation with the bight 6 of the loop of wire and the end 1 is also overlapped with the bight end, thus providing an inner coil 8 and an outer concentric coil 9.

With the parts thus positioned, the part is placed in a suitable press or die and the overlapping parts pressed together or flattened to a thickness not exceeding the thickness of the overlapped parts, providing a washer preferably slightly flattened on both sides as is shown in Fig. 5. If desired, the overlapping parts may be electrically welded as indicated at In although satisfactory washers may be produced without this welding step as the flattening operation with the parts overlapped effectively secures them together. It will of course be understood that in use the clamping stress of the nut urges the joint parts together rather than tending to separate or spread them.

In Fig. 6, the outer coil 9 has a loop-like ofiset H therein opposite the joint formed by the meeting bight and free ends, this loop-like bight overlapping the inner coil 8 and being flattened and interlocked as has been described for the other overlapping parts.

In the method of forming shown in Fig. 7, the inner coil 8 is first formed by wrapping around the mandrel l2 and the stock indicated in. this figure as [3 is then reversely bent at I4see the dotted lines in Fig. 7around a suitable spacing form member not illustrated, and the end I 5 corresponding to the end 4 brought into overlapping relation with the bight. This results in a washer with the parts in the same relation as shown in Fig. 3.

The washer of Fig. 8 is formed slightly different, the inner coil l6 being bent around a suitable mandrel as I! and the parts brought into crossed relation at l 8 and wrapped around suitable forming members to form the outer coil IS, the ends 20 being bent inwardly in overlapping relation with the inner coil IS. The parts are then flat- 55 tened or upset which provides a very effective interlocking at l8 and at points where the ends 20 overlap each other as at 2| and also where they overlap the inner coil.

All of these methods produce very satisfactory washers comprising an inner coil constituting a bolt opening and an outer concentric coil spaced therefrom, the coils being connected so that they maintain their proper relation in handling and in use. The flattening may be carried on to greater extent than that illustrated in Fig. 5 but that is very satisfactory and satisfactory washers result where the flattening is only to the extent of reducing the overlapping parts to the thickness of the overlapped parts.

I have not attempted to illustrate and describe other embodiments or adaptations of my invention and the steps of producing the same as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A washer having spaced concentric inner and outer coils formed of a single strip of stock, the ends of the strip overlapping other parts of the formed strip and being in retaining engagement therewith, said inner coil being in the form of a single continuous bight with the ends of the bight overlapped, the overlapped parts being flattened to a thickness not exceeding the thickness of the unlapped parts.

2. A washer comprising a central coil in the form of a continuous uninterrupted bight with the ends of the bight in overlapping relation, said coil constituting a bolt opening, and an outer concentric coil formed integrally therewith, the central and the outer coils being connected at diametrically opposite points.

3. A washer formed of a loop of wire having one arm substantially longer than the other coiled to provide concentric inner and outer annular parts, the ends of the arms being lapped upon the bight of the loop and secured thereto.

4. A washer in the form of a loop of wirevhaving substantially parallel arms, one of which is substantially longer than the other, said arms being coiled to provide concentric inner and outer annular parts, the ends of the arms being lapped upon the bight of the loop and flattened to a thickness not exceeding that of the unlapped portions.

LEONARD A. YOUNG. 

